Game apparatus.



J. E, WATTERSON.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED numz. 1909.

950,810. Patented Mar.1,1910.

- .3 fr Pie in Clubs Home Vl'sitiry v I amwm J @7r%mp Q/vhwooeo W JAMESEDGAR 'WATTEBSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

' GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

Application filed January 12, 1909. Serial No. 471,890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES EDGAR Wa'r- TERSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in GameApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My presentinvention relates to a new and improved game apparatus forplaying the game of base ball, and is especially designed forindoor-use.

Thepurpose of the invention is to provide an'apparatus wherein itispossible .to execute during the playing operation, practically all thelays that occur on a ball field during actual play between twocontesting clubs, and wherein the element of chance is ever present,thus making the final result uncertain and maintaining the interest ofthe contestants throughout the entire game and until the final inning isplayed;

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for thepurpose stated that is so simple in construction and inexpensive tomanufacture that it'is perfectly feasible of use as a gratis advertisingnoveltv.-

Briefly and generally stated the invention comprises a game apparatusfor playing the game of base-ball, comprising a suitable boarder chartbearing the representation of a ball field, two sets of distinguishabledevices representing members of contesting ball teams, two dice bearingthe same indicia but otherwise distinguishable one from the other, and aschedule. of plays having indicia corresponding to the indicia on thedice and the value of the plays represented by said indicia.

The invention comprises other novel features which will hereinafterappear in the detailed description to follow, and which will then bepointed out in the claim.

In the annexed drawing which is illustrative of a preferred form of theinvention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the game-board. Fig. 2 isa centrallongitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective View ofone form of distinguishable dice. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of theplaying pieces.

Referring to the drawing the reference letter A, designates thegame-board having depicted thereon a ball eld and diamond, which may beornamented or embellished. in

any preferred manner to suit the fancy, the representation in theaccompanying drawing being only by way of example. I prefer to make theboard with foldable end sections B, C, as shown in Fig. 2, in order thatthe same may be folded in compact form. I prefer to imprint on one ofthe foldable end sections, as B, a chart hearing the rules for playingthe game, or the play values, as indicated at D, and on the other endsection, as C, I contemplate providing a slate surface E, bearingthereon the representation of a score card upon which the game score maybe kept during play. By providing a slate surface for the score-card thescores may be erased after a game has been played, and the score cardused over and over again in succeeding games. I also prefer to connectthe foldable end sec tion B, with the main portion of the gameboard bymeans of a flexible strip F, so arranged that when said section is swunguprightly, as shown in Fig. 2, it will be inclined slightly rearwardly,and as this section bears thev rules for playing .or play values, thesecan be easily and comfortably referred to while the game is beingplayed.

\Vhile I prefer to make the game-board as just described, 1 do not wishto be understood as limiting myself to this specific construction forobviously the rules for playing or play values, as well as the scorecard, may be printed upon separate sheets, and the representation of theball-field and diamond on another sheet, which may be either. flexible,stifl, or stiff and foldable.

In addition to the game-board and the chart bearing the rules forplaying or play values, the apparatus employed in playing the ameconsists .of two sets of distinguisha 1e game pieces G, and H,representing the opposing teams, each set consisting preferably of fourdisks; and two dice I, and J, bearing like indicia or spots, butotherwise distinguishable one from the other, either by making onelarger than the other, or by having one of one color and the other ofanother color. It is the provision of the two distinguishable dicebearing the same indicia, and the employment of a chart having a seriesof groups of ndicia representing play values, WlllCh 1ndicia correspondsto the indicia on the dice, that constitutes the novelty of the presentinvention and distinguishes the same from prior apparatus of which I amaware.

'dicia on'the dice, when taken singly collectively as hereinafterdescribe follows 5 Rules for Playing, 01 Play 70MB.

5, 5 and 6, 6 indicate hit, another throw to determine size of hit.

1, 1 and all other numbers indicate a one base hit. a

2, 2 indicates a two base hit. 3, 3 indicates a three base hit.

4, 4 indicates a home run.

Read numbers on large die only:

1 indicates a strike.

3 indicates a foul strike. After 2nd strike, a foul ball.

2 and 4 indicate a ball.

5 indicates if man on first base, pitcher attempts to catch runner ofi1st. If thrown three times in succession runner out. Pitcher to 1stbaseman. If no man on 1st base 5 has no value. v

6 indicates an out and necessitates another throw to determine how outwas made and by whom.-

' Read smaller number first. If throw is 1, 2 indicates pitcher to 1stbaseman. If bases are occupied it counts as a sacrifice and runnersadvance from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd base. If man on 3rd he isout.

-manon 1st base a double play 3rd to 2nd to 1st baseman. If menon 1stand 2nd a double play 3rd to 2nd base, batter safe. If 2nd and 3rd basesare occu ied out to 1st baseman unassisted. If all ases are filled,batter out on foul fly to 3rd baseman. 1, 5 indicates out.2nd to 1stbaseman. If man on 1st base, runner out at 2nd and batter safeat 1st onWild throw of 2nd baseman. If men onlst and 2nd runner forced out at3rd, batter safe. If men on 2nd and 3rd batter out. Shortstop to 1stbase. If men on all bases runner on 3rd out to catcher, batter safe.

1, 6 indicates out.-Shortstop to 1st baseman. If man on 1st runner outon 2nd and batter safe on wild throw of shortstop. If men on 1st and 2ndrunners and batter safe on error of 3rd baseman. If 2nd and 3rd areoccupied batter out. Shortstop tolst baseman. If all bases filled batterout fly to' pitcher.

2, 3 indicates a passed ball, if any of the bases except 3rd areoccupied, runners adis asvance one base. If none on base, or if basesare filled out on fly to shortstop.

2, 4 indicates safe to let on error of short stop. If any on 1st or 2ndbase runners advance one base. If 3rd or all bases are occupied batterout to 1st baseman unassisted.

2, 5 indicates batter hit by ball and he goes to 1st. If any on 1st or2nd base, runners advance one base. .If men on 2nd and 3rd base or allbases batter hit by batted ball.

2, 6 indicates safe to 1st base on error of 2nd baseman. If men on 1stand 2nd run ners advance one base. If 3rd or all bases areoccupied'runners advance and man on 3rd bases scores providing only oneout. If 2 out man nearest home out stealing.

'3, 4, indicates out-on fly to center fielder. If man on 3rd he scoresand other runners advance if only one out. p 3, 5 indicates outon fly toright fielder. Runners do not advance.

3, 6 indicates out-on fly to left fielder. Runners do not advance.

4, 5indicates out-en foul fly to catcher. 4, 6 indicates outon fly tocatcher. If

represent, and the diceare then thrown to determine which club will batfirst, or this may be determined in any other preferred way. The playerwinning the toss will throw the two (lice and will continue to throwthem until hehas thrown three outs, when the player representing theother clubwill then take his turn at the bat. If the player firstthrowing 'the dice should throw a double number of any ki'nd,,he wouldrefer to the chart of play-values to determine the value of the throw.If, for instance, he should throw a double5 or a double 6 thiswouldindicate that he had made ahit of some kind and to determine the size ofthe hit it is necessary for him to throw the dice a aiu. Should he throwa double 1 this would lI1(ll cute that he had made a one base hit.Should he throw a double 2 this would indicate that he had made a twobase hit; should 11c throw a double 3 this would indicate that. he hadmade a three base hit; or should he throw a double 4 this would indicatethat he had made a home run. If he should make a one, two or'three basehit he would place one of his ame pieces upon the base on thediamonindicated by the throw. In throwing the dice to determine a play, if theplayer pitcher attem ted to catch the runner off said base. {I "the-5spot isthrown three times in succession the runner would becunted'outpitcher to first baseman. If there was no man on first basethe throw of a spot would have "no value. If the player should throw a 6spot on-the' lar e die this would indicate an out, and won d necessitateanother throw to determine how the out was made and by whom, that is, bywhich one of the players. In throwing the dice to determine how the outwas made the spots on both of the dice are read,-

but the smaller number is'read first irrespective of the dieon -whichthe smaller number appears, that is, whether the smaller number ison.the larger-die or not.

Now assuming the player has thrown a 6 spot which indicates an out whichwould call for another throw to indicate how the out was made, :thefollowing is a list of these plays, it being remembered that the smallernumber is read first:

If a 1 and a 2 are thrown this would indicate that the out was made bythe pitcher to first baseman. If bases are occupied it would count as asacrifice and the vi nners would advance from first to second 1nd fromsecond to third base- If there .iappened to be a man on third he wouldbe let-lured out pitcher to catcher and the )atter would be declaredsafe.

If a 1' and a 3 were thrown the out vould be to first basemanunassisted. If there iappeued tobe a man on first base a double daywould be counted second to first base. [f there happened to bea man onsecond ase the batter would'be declared out :ecoud to first base. Ifthere were men on irst and second bases a double lay would )0 countedthird 'to second and batter safe. ff third or all bases ha pened to beoccupied he batter would be eclared out fly to hort stop.

If'the t would e counted as out third to first aseman. If there happenedto be a man-on irstbase a double play would be counted bird to second tofirst baseman. 'If there vere men on first and second a double play muldbe counted third to second base, bater safe. If second and third 'baseswere ccupied when the throw was made, it would layer'should throwa 1 anda 4,

count out to first unassisted. If all bases were filled the play wouldcount' batter out on foul fly to third baseman.

If the player should throw'a 1 and a 5 this would indicate an out secondto first basema'n. Ifthere was a man on first base when the throw wasmade, the runner would becounted out at third and batter safe at firston wild throw to second baseman. If

there weremen on first and second bases.

the runner would be declared forced out at third base and the battersafe. If there were men on second and third bases the bat- :ter would bedeclared out short stop to If there were men on all bases.

first'base. the runner on third base would be declared out to catcherand the batter safe.

If the player should throw a 1 and 6, this would indicate out short stopto first baseman. If there happened to be'a man on first base the runnerwould be declared out at second andthe batter safe ouwild throw of shortstop. If there were men on first and second bases the runners and batterwould be'declared safe on error of third baseman. Ifsecond and thirdbases were occupied when the throw was made, the

batter would be declared out short stop to first baseman. If all baseswere filled the batter would be declared out fly to pitcher.

If the player should throw a 2 and 3 this .would indicate a passed ball.Ifany of the bases, except the third, were occupied, when the play wasmade, the runners would advance one base. If there were none on thebases, or if the bases were filled, the play would be out on fly toshort stop.

If the player should throw a 2 and 4 this would indicate that the batterwas safe at first on error of short stop. If there happened to be men onfirst and second bases the runners would advance one base. If the thirdor all bases were occupied, the'batter would bedeclared out to firstbaseman unas sisted. v

If the player should throw a 2 and 5 this would indicate that the batterwas hit by pitched ball and he would take first base.

If there were runners on first and second bases these would each advanceone base. If there were men on' second and third bases or all bases, thebatter would be declared out hit by batted ball. v

If the player should throw a 2 and 6 this would indicate batter-safe atfirst on error of second baseman. During this playif there If there weretwo out, the man If the player should throw a3 and 4 this would indicatean out on fly to center fielder." If when 'this play was made therehappened to be a man on third base he would score and other runnerswould ad-' Vance if there was only one out.

If the player should throw a 3 and 5 this would indicate an out on flyto right fielder and the runners, if there happened to be any on baseswould-not advance.

If the player should throw a 3 and 6 this would indicate a fly to leftfielder and the runners would not advance.

If the player should throw a 4 and 5 this would indicate an out on foulfly to catcher.

If the layer should throw a 4; and 6 this would indicate an out on flyto catcher. If there happened to be a man on first base he would beallowed to pass to second on a stolen base.

If the player should throw 5 and 6 this would indicate an out on shortfly to left fielder, and the runners, if there happened to be any onbases, would not advance.

All double numbers thrown to indicate thecharacter of an outwouldindicate that the out was made on short fly to center fielder andthe runner's would not advance.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided for racticallyall the various plays that occur uring actual playing of vthe game,including errors, character of the 1 plays and by Whom made, so that inkeepa ing the score all of these, as well as the number of hits made byeach club can be taken account of, and a complete record of all playskept. By roviding all these various plays as indicated ues, the game ismade very realistic and interesting, and the ultimate result isuncertain until the final inning is played.

What I claim is,'-

Game apparatus for playin the game of base ball comprising a boar havingthe representation of a ball field, chance-controlled apparatusembodying two dice bearing the same indioia, but otherwisedistinguishable one from the other and adapted to provide two separateselective indicia with v each play, and a chart of plays bearingplayvalue indioia corresponding to the indicia of the chance-controlledapparatus,said playindicia providing play-values based upon a singleselected indicia of the two indicia of the chance-controlled apparatusor of both indicia of said apparatus.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses JAMES EDGAR WATTERSON.

Witnesses IDA C. HOWARD, VILLIAM A. Dowmcs.

in the chart of play val

